fitness after 50

Recently, I went to a lecture about women, aging and self-esteem. It was disconcerting. The lecturer, a therapist in her mid-50s, deals frequently with women who are unhappy with how they look, and who feel unprepared for the changes that they are seeing as they get older. The lecturer acknowledged that women in their 50s (and over) are in a “beauty bind.” In the past, women (like our grandmothers) aged together. The playing field was level. Very few of them …

There’s a kind of fat that can creep up on us as we age that is so awful, even its name sounds sneaky and mean. Visceral fat. What is visceral fat, you ask? It’s fat you can’t see. It’s fat that weaves itself around your heart and other internal organs. It’s really evil, and you don’t want it in your body. We all have subcutaneous fat, which is the noticeable layer of fat that lies just below the skin. Visceral …

Losing weight and getting back in shape isn’t always easy after 50. But I learned something new a few years ago after packing on almost 15 (and counting) post-menopausal pounds: it’s far from impossible. What’s more, I found a three-part solution that works: establish an achievable goal eat less move more Simple! A plan to lose weight or start a fitness program can be stymied before you even start if it seems too difficult to do. Like most of us, …

Here’s a simple message to those who have not yet turned 50: it’s never too early to start taking control of your health and life. Here’s a simple message to those of us who are over 50: it’s never too late. Shakespeare once wrote, “What’s past is prologue.” What we do (or don’t do) in our younger years will have a huge impact on how we look and feel by the time we enter our 50s. Our earlier choices and …

We all need to move our bodies every day. Period. Running, walking, spinning, biking, Zumba … whatever your choice is, just get out and do it. You’ll keep your weight down and maintain your health-check numbers where they need to be. Plus, it just feels good. But sometimes we need that little extra reason to get us out there. While writing “The Best of Everything After 50: The Experts’ Guide to Style, Sex, Health, Money and More,” I was insisting …

If you exercise in the hopes of reaching your 100th birthday, I’ve got bad news for you: A large new study of older adults found being physically fit after 50 was not associated with longer overall lifespan. It was, however, linked with less chronic disease — including heart trouble, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, kidney problems, lung cancer and colon cancer — as participants aged.